Wheel tester



Jan. 9, 1951 AVENlA 2,537,616

WHEEL TESTER Filed July 19, 1947 (T I!" F "II I 1 A f, XNVENTOR 1 2 Y'fiamas Avezzz'a.

ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 9, 1951 UNITED STATES: PATENTQ-OFFICE WHEEL TESTER Thomas Avenia, New York, N. Y.

Application July 19, 1947, Serial No. 762,109

1 Claim.

deformation of any part of a wheel of a bicycle" can be made evident at once; so that correction can be effected and the wheel put into condition for regular use or replaced by a new one.

Another object is to provide a device of the type mentioned with but few parts, of simple and inexpensive construction, quite reliable in practice, and easfly manipulated for operation.

The nature and advantages of the apparatus are made clear in the following description and the distinguishing features are pointed out in the appended claims. But this disclosure is by way of example only and I reserve the right to make changes in details without deviating from the general principle of the invention or essentially altering any of the characteristics in which the invention resides.

On the drawings, which illustrate a preferred form of the invention, 7

Figure 1 is a front view of the improved apparatus; and

Figure 2 is a side View thereof, in section on line 2-2 of Figure l.

The invention in practical form comprises a base l to which are affixed uprights 2. Near the top of one of the posts 2 is a journal 3 having a conical head or end 5 presented to the other post; and the latter has a threaded hole in line with the journal 3 to receive a rod 5 having exterior threads to engage the threads in said post. This rod also has a conical head 6 at its extremity between the posts, and its opposite end bears an operating wheel I having a, crank 8. The pointed heads of the journal 3 and rod 5 engage the opposite ends of the hub 9 of the wheel to be tested, the latter having a rim 10 joined to the hub 9 by the usual steel wire spokes H. The ends of the hub 9 are equipped with inside ball bearings and when the rod 5 is turned in, the heads of the rod and journal 3 enter the inner, raceway rings of said bearings and the wheel is thus rotatably mounted between the posts 2;

Near the base 5 each of the posts carries a threaded rod i2, each ofwhich bears on one extremity a shoe or plate} 3. The rods i2 are in line with-each other and theshoes or members it are adaptedto be adjusted into easy contact with the 2 two sides of the rim H). The rods have cranks I4 on their ends at the outer sides of the posts so that they can be turned by hand. By means of the shoes I3 the flatness of the wheel can be checked. If the rim I0 is bent sideways, the distortion will appear at once when the wheel is turned.

Adjacent the rods l2 the two posts also carry a rod l5 on which are mounted two adjustable arms l6, preferably on the outer sides of the posts or uprights 2. These arms are connected at their outer ends by a rod I7, and can be secured in the required position on the ends of the rod or bar l5 by wing nuts H3. The arms 6 are manipulated and set so as to hold the bar I! against the outer edge of the rim 8. Then by turning the wheel, the roundness thereof can be checked. If there is a departure at any point from a true circular shape, the fact will be disclosed by the rod IS.

The rod or bar I5 is made fast by lock nuts I8, and the bar or member I! is secured to the arms l6 by lock nuts [9. Also the bar 5 can be locked in position after adjustment by a nut 20.

The invention is therefore extremely simple and certain of operation. It can be built at little cost, isstrong and durable, and the general construction is such that none of the parts is likely to become impaired or get out of order in ordinary use.

The rod 5 will be threaded as far along its length as necessary, and the wheel I will be affixed to the outer end thereof in any suitable way, so that by rotating this wheel the bar 5 will be turned. This bar can be locked in working position by means of nut 20, which is of course loosened when the wheel 1 is operated. Another lock nut similar to thelock nut 20, can of course be placed on this bar on the opposite side of the post 2.

Having described my invention, what I believe to be new is:

Apparatus for testing wheels, comprising a base, uprights on said base, one of said uprights having a journal adjacent its upper end, with a coneshaped end to engage one end of the hub of a wheel; a shaft having threaded engagement with the other upright adjacent the upper end thereof and an extremity shaped to engage the other end of the hub, means for rotatingsaid shaft; rods mounted in said-uprights below said shaft and in alinement with each other, said rods being parallel with said shaft and having threaded engagement with said uprights, cranks on said irods, on the adjacent ends of the rods ,tolmake ct with the sides of the rim of the: wheel, a

3 4 crossbar on said uprights parallel to and adjacent UNITED STATES PATENTS said rods, arms pivotally mounted each adjacent Number Name Date One end-0f said crossbar, a bar mounted on said 563,944 Thiem July 14 1896 arms substantially parallel tb 'the crossbar, and 843 754 Kirstein Feb lzlgm means for fixing said arms iii position for the 5 2,205532 Kohl June 1940 last-named bar to engage the edge of said rim. 2390529 Black July 1942 THOMAS AVENIA- 2,408,689 Seme Oct, 1, 1946 REFERENCES CITED FOREIGN PATENTS The following references are-of record in the Number n ry Date file of this patent: 281,996 Great Britain July 12, 1928 725,963 France Feb. .22, 1932 

